Galatasaray signs Lyon winger Keita

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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The 27-year-old Keita has agreed to a three-year contract at Galatasaray, where he will play under new coach Frank Rijkaard, Agence France-Presse reported. The Ivory Coast international never settled at Lyon after joining from Lille two years ago for a club record 18 million euros. Keita scored only five league goals in 52 games for Lyon.

The right winger will team up with former teammate striker Milan Baros, who played at Lyon two seasons ago.

Galatasaray board member Haldun Üstünel, who was in charge of the team’s transfer moves as well as Keita’s, said that he worked hard to complete the signing of the Ivory Coast star. "We have been scouting him for the last two seasons, and did our best to finalize the deal," Üstünel said to Galatasaray TV. "Our coach [Rijkaard] approved the move and we finalized it." Üstünel added that he hoped Galatasaray would benefit from the transfer. "We completed the addition of a highly skilled and versatile player in Keita," said Üstünel. "I hope he will produce the goods for Galatasaray, and Turkish football."

Keita becomes the third player to leave Lyon recently after Karim Benzema was transferred to Real Madrid and veteran midfielder Juninho moved to Qatar's Al Gharafa.

On Wednesday, Lyon agreed to sell Benzema to Madrid in a six-year deal worth up to 41 million euros.

Seven-time champion Lyon finished third in the French league this season, behind Bordeaux and Marseille.